Multiple pen combination



Jan. 12, 1965 R. s. ANDALORO MULTIPLE PEN COMBINATION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Aug. 51, 1962 INVENTOR. Russ s. AND/11.0120

ATTORNEY Jan. 12, 1965 R. s. ANDALORO 3,164,906

MULTIPLE PEN COMBINATION Filed Aug. 31, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

R055 5. ANDALDRO ATTORNEY associated, therewith; FIG. 2,is aislightlyenlarged s'ectional viewpa'rtly United States Patent O 3,164,906MULTIPLE PEN COMBINATIQN Russ S.-Andalor0, 2107 N. Campbell, Tucson,Ariz.

Filed Aug. 31, 1962, Ser. No. 220,843

4 Claims. (Cl. 33-41) My invention relates to an improved multiple pencornbination. s

I am aware that it is very old to support two or more pens, pencils,crayons or the like in juxtaposition so that more than one line may bedrawn or indicium traced at thesarne time. It is even old to provide anumber 0f pens in parallel functional relation in a multiple.

check writing machine, permitting the signing of a relatively largenumber of checks at one time. There are, however, no readily availablemeans for carrying out such simple functions as drawing-a predeterminednumber of uniformly spaced parallel lines such as required in producingthe staff for the reproduction or composing of music. Paper on which the.staifs are produced is, of

course, available but itis relatively expensive and a given piece ofpaper is not always suited to the particular use to which themusicianwishes to put it. s The principal object of my invention is theprovision of an improved multiple pen combination.

Anotherobject of my inventionis the provisionof an improved multiplepenarrangement particularly adapted for producing a predetermined number.of parallel uniformly spaced lines for any desired purposepwhether suchlines be curveder straight. i

,Al-furtherobjectis the provision of an improved multia ple pencombination particularly-adapted for producing musical'staffs of anydesired length on any desired type ofpapen A preferred embodiment anddesirablemodificatioris of the invention are shown in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein: m

FIG. 1' is an elevational view showing a basic frame structure withconventionaltype of ink writing elements broken away taken along theline2' 2 of FIG. 1'..'

- "FIG. 3 is a sectional .view takenalo ng the line 3-3 3,164,906Patented Jan. 12, 1965 writing'elements 22 project with theirball-points 23 in parallel relation as shown particularly in FIG. 2.

The cover member has a closed top 24, end walls 26 and side walls 27,the end and side walls being'aligned withthe end and side walls of thebase member 16. In addition, the cover member 17 has a flared skirt 23which extends entirely around the top portion of the base member and hasprojection engaging recesses in the base member as shown particularly inFIG. 3 to thereby hold the base member and cover member in releasablyassembled relation.

The cover member 17 is provided with a plurality of spaced curvedparallel longitudinal recesses Slifor lightly gripping the writingelements 22 and releasably hold mg them in proper spaced relation. Thisarrangement is shown particularly at the top of FIG. 2.

' At .times it may be necessary to produce both a treble and bass staffand I may do so by the modification shown in FIG. 4; This includes abase member 116 and cover member 117 having the same generalconstruction as that shownin 'FIGS..2 and 3, but with accommodation fora 7 total of ten ball-point pens grouped to rulethe two stafis butproviding the usual space required between the staffs For convenience, Ihave applied the same referencesto FIG..4 as to-thefirst describedembodiment with, how- 7 ever, the prefix 1 to indicate modification.

: Instead of providing a separable frame'and housing arrangement for theball-point pens, I may mold a unitary plastic housing, 32'aroundthe'ball-point' pens 33, holding the pens in parallel relation as theplastic or other material used is j molded into position." I may. use,and preferto use, any one of the relatively light weightplastics,preferably of the thermosetting type and molded at a sufiiciently, lowtemperature that the writing elements and ink contained. therein are notinjured in any way. The result is annitary body as appears particularlyclear from the transverse section of FIG. 6, which can be readilyhandled, is. relatively. inexpensively produced and can be discardedwhen its period of usefulness has expired;

It may beused alone for ruling purposes or it may be i used with specialequipment such as shown in accomalong the FIG. 8 is a slightly enlargedfragmentary sectional V view taken along the line'88 of; FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary elevational view looking along FIG. 10 shows theuse of the, device of FIG. 7 for producing a series of parallelequi-spaced curved lines, and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view looking along the line 11-41of FIG; 9.

Looking now, first, to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, I provide a combination caseandframe consisting of a base mempanying drawings, FIGS. 7jthrough '11.. 1

I; have found that good results are obtained in ruling operationsemploying any one of the three forms of: the invention showninFIGS.lthroughjG using an ordinary straight edge such as provided by a simpleruler. I find,

however, that somewhat faster and more accurate'results I areobtainableby means of. specialassociated equipment including, for. example, commontypes of mechanically adjusted straight edges. utilized on theldrawingboard.

When a ruler is used it is. necessary always to set the ruler inparallel relation which takes time, but'it is, also,

necessary that the ruling'instrument shown'in FIG.. 1, for example,always be held in the same position so that the spacing between thelines will be uniform; For many purposes, such as when one is composing,extreme accuracy is not required. But-even when you are passing outsimple. exercises to students, it is much preferred that an accuratearrangement of lines be provided. ,There is, also, the fact that in aruling instrumentit, is frequently desired that curved or arcuate linesbe providedand these,

a of course, are much more readily ruled by means of her indicatedgenerally by the reference character 16 and a cover member indicatedgenerally by the reference character 17. The base member is generally inthe form of a rectangular six sided figure with the top removed.

It has end walls 18','side walls 19 and a bottom wall 21 j withuniformly spaced holes through which ball-point guides.

A special base member 136 is provided which can receive the standardwriting elements 22 and can be associated with the standard cover 17.The base member 36 has a bottom 37 with holes through which theballpoint pens project, with ends 38 and sides 39. One I side 39' isprovided with a pair of integral extensions 41 which are apertured toengage in sliding relation along arod 42. ;A set screw 43 or othersuitable means may be provided to hold the base member 36 in any desiredadjusted position. The rod 42 is carried on a bolt 44 having a nut 46,and this bolt 44 has its shank extending through a longitudinal slot 47on a guide member 48. The guide member has a pair of depending feet 49adapted to slide easily along any smooth surface. At one end of theguide member 48 there is a cone shaped upwardly projecting pivot pin 51,the function of which will be described. I

Any one of the devices shown in FIGS. 1 through 6 can be supported onthe rod 42, the only requirement being, of course, that a modified basemember be provided to engage the rod in the manner shown in thedrawings. The utilization of a base member corresponding to the basemember 16 of FIGS. 1 through 3 is,therefore, illus trative, but verygood results are possible utilizing this particular arrangement.

When lines are to be ruled, a straight edge 52 is provided which ispreferably part of a relatively simple drawing board in which thestraight edge 52 is maintained in a set position, such, for example, asat axis 90. The rod 42 is set at a desired position and the rod 46tightened. An arrangement may be made, as shown, in which a knurled rodis provided at the top and merely tightened with the fingers. If the rod42 is disposed at right angles with the slot 47, then the maximumspacing between the lines provided for by the structure of the basemember will be obtained. If, however, the rod 42.

is slanted as shown in FIG. 7, then the lines will be closer together.If the rod 42 should be linedup completely with the guide member 48,then, of course, only one line would be provided becausethe pens wouldrule on top of each other. By moving the feet 49 along the writingsurface and against the straight edge 52, very accurate ruling can beobtained.

The equipment may'be employed for ruling arcuate lines as shown in FIG.10 by removing the rod 44, turning the guide member over, and using thepin 51 as a center. Here again the rod 42 can be angled with :respect tothe guide member 48, but in this case the larger the subtended angle thefurther the lines will be'apar t. It will be obvious, also, that I canrule a group of straight lines with curved lines on the end thereofwhenever such an arrangement is desired. I

The scope of my invention is defined by the claims.

I claim: I

1. In a multiple pen combination,

(a) a hollow base member having five sides including i a bottom,

(b) said bottom having a plurality'of holes to pass a smaller diameterportion of a ball-point pen type of writing element,

(c) a cover portion having five sides, four of which are generallyaligned with four sides of said base, and having a flared skirtextending around the base member,

(d) said cover being provided with inside curved walls to grip andreleasably position said writing elements,

(e) means including a projection and recess for releasably holding saidbase member and cover together, and

(f) means supporting said base member in a set position with respect toa straight edge orthe like.

2. In a multiple pen combination,

(a) a hollow base member having five sides including a bottom,

(b) said bottom having a plurality of holes to pass a smaller diameterportion of a ball-point pen type of writing element,

(c) a cover portion having five sides, four of which are generallyaligned with four sides of said base, and having a flared skirtextending around the base member,

(d) said cover being provided with inside curved walls to grip andreleasably position said writing elements,

(2) means including a projection and recess for releasably holding saidbase member and cover together,

(f) means supporting said base member in a set position with respect toa straight edge or the like, and

(g) said last mentioned means comprising (1) a guide member having alongitudinal slot therein, (2) a rod, (3) means supporting said rod,and. .(4) pivot means at one end of the rod and slidably supported insaid slot for attaching said rod in rotatable position onsaid guidemember. 3. A combination as defined in claim 2, including ad I justablemeans forming a part of said pivot means for holding said rod in fixedrelation to said guide member.

4. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said base member isslidably supported on said rod, including means for anchoring saidbasemember to any fixed position along said rod.

ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS GermanyJan. 11, 1932

1. IN A MULTIPLE PEN COMBINATION, (A) A HOLLOW BASE MEMBER HAVING FIVESIDES INCLUDING A BOTTOM, (B) SAID BOTTOM HAVING A PLURALITY OF HOLES TOPASS A SMALLER DIAMETER PORTION OF A BALL-POINT PEN TYPE OF WRITINGELEMENT, (C) A COVER PORTION HAVING FIVE SIDES, FOUR OF WHICH AREGENERALLY ALIGNED WITH FOUR SIDES OF SAID BASE, AND HAVING A FLAREDSKIRT EXTENDING AROUND THE BASE MEMBER, (D) SAID COVER BEING PROVIDEDWITH INSIDE CURVED WALLS TO GRIP AND RELEASABLY POSITION SAID WRITINGELEMENTS, (E) MEANS INCLUDING A PROJECTION AND RECESS FOR RE-